Packing Tux/Gowns

[psychboss]

I know that everyone is sick of questions about packing questions and I have learned, after one cruise and reading this board, lots of good ideas about packing. We have a rolling garment bag suitcase but it is really heavy empty. It barely holds the above items and then we have DH's sports coat(s), shirts, my other dress(es).

 

These are the items that I find VERY difficult to pack - how do all of you handle these items?

[Karynanne]

We solved that issue by each of us bringing a rolling garment bag. We'd never fit both of our hanging clothes in one. And BTW, they now make light-weight luggage. We recently purchased new luggage, and hopefully we won't the allowed airline weight.

 

Karyn

[psychboss]

We solved that issue by each of us bringing a rolling garment bag. We'd never fit both of our hanging clothes in one. And BTW, they now make light-weight luggage. We recently purchased new luggage, and hopefully we won't the allowed airline weight.

 

Karyn

 

What brand of luggage did you buy?

[weelv2cruise]

Pressing service is so not-expensive, we just roll our formals. Upon arrival, ask room steward to have them pressed, back the next day.

[psychboss]

We have never used the 'pressing services'. Never hesitated to use laundry services, does pressing cost less?

[Leela]

I leave my dresses in the plastic dry cleaning bag, and then pack them on on the "suiter" fold-up thingy that came with my suitcase. I've not ever had an issue with unsightly wrinkling -- but then I don't pack anything made of "crisp" fabrics like taffeta.

 

I have some dresses made of soft knits that I can just roll up and toss in the suitcase, and they don't wrinkle at all!

 

For men it's trickier, but that's where the on-board pressing service comes in handy. Although some weights/grades of wool suiting drop wrinkles practically overnight when you hang them up. My ex-husband has this black Armani suit that he's dragged around the world a few times (I kid you not, it's gone to China and India) and if he hangs it up in the shower the wrinkles just fall out of it. It is made of the most beautiful material I've ever seen...he wore that suit for over 10 years, so the price-per-year made it a real bargain over the long haul.

[PescadoAmarillo]

We use a rolling garment bag and it barely holds our formal/informal wear. But we do have space to put shoes in the corners and a large outer pocket, which is great, because it is always our lightest bag, so we put our heaviest shoes in it.

 

The mention of pressing service makes me nervous. Has anyone had formal wear returned scorched? I take ours to one of the most expensive cleaners in town because I am so afraid it will be damaged. I've never before considered having it pressed on a ship, but might if you've not had any issues.

[dkjretired]

I usually have the things for my son and I pressed on the ship and not at home. Saves a lot of aggravation. Below is a link to the prices.....

 

http://www.celebritycruises.com/beforeyourcruise/faq/home.do;jsessionid=0000Ms9ES5Kxufp2A7wajdbp5xE:12hdbcveb?faqSubjectName=Ship+and+Stateroom+Details&faqId=566&pagename=faq_answers

[Karynanne]

What brand of luggage did you buy?

 

We bought Skyway through Ebags.com. We noticed immediately how "lite" the luggage was. Still the same sizes, but the construction is quite different. We'll have an opportunity to see how it holds up next week. We on the transtlantic, 9/15.

 

Karyn

[luvtocook]

We use a rolling garment bag and it barely holds our formal/informal wear. But we do have space to put shoes in the corners and a large outer pocket, which is great, because it is always our lightest bag, so we put our heaviest shoes in it.

 

The mention of pressing service makes me nervous. Has anyone had formal wear returned scorched? I take ours to one of the most expensive cleaners in town because I am so afraid it will be damaged. I've never before considered having it pressed on a ship, but might if you've not had any issues.

 

We've used the ship many times & to be quite honest, they do our formal wear much better than the dry cleaners here in town. Probably not as much formal wear running through local stores as there is on a ship!:D

[Pontius Navigator]

Not sure what a rolling garment bag is but I bought a Samsonite roller case and grip combination. The case included a suite carrier.

 

This is a sort of garment bag with a zipped mesh front. You put the suit?tux and shirt on a standard hangar, you fit it snuggly inside the bag, ensure the suit is flat and the sleeves drwan down across the front and then zip up. The whole is then folded twice and fastened with a popper. It is now a small tight parcel. The suit does not move nor does it crinkle.

 

A second suit can be laid in a large suitcase with arms and shoulders outside. The first bag is then laid on the suit, the arms are now crossed, and the suit folded over and into the suitcase.

 

Next things are packed around the suits so that they do not move and cannot crumple. Holding eveything flat and immobile is, I find, the key to crumple free clothes.

 

If using a single cabin-size case do watch the single case weight limit of 32kg or 70lb. Anything over that size and it will not be accepted by airlines.

[sealover155]

Just another vote for onboard pressing and dry cleaning service. We use it every single cruise. I sent a very special silk taffeta gown to be pressed and it was done exquisitely. It was a custom designed gown that I wore to my son's wedding, obviously very special and my husband was anxious for me to wear it again. I was a bit nervous but having it pressed onboard was my only option. We've used the cleaning and laundry service also with absolutely no complaints.

 

We have a rolling garment bag that my husband uses for suits, but most of my clothes stay fairly wrinkle free by using dry cleaner plastic in a regular suitcase or my standard, non-rolling garment bag which I attach to the rolling "box" suitcase.

 

Hope this helps.

[pandabebe]

We have a regular garment bag and it holds a ton of stuff...DH's suits, my formal dresses, shirts...we can even pack under shirts and shoes in the spare compartments on the side. However, ours is not a rolling garment bag so this may be why we can stuff our garment bag silly!

[bigwally]

Going to carry my tux (and maybe a suit) onboard the plane with me in a plastic suit cover.

[Pontius Navigator]

Going to carry my tux (and maybe a suit) onboard the plane with me in a plastic suit cover.

 

BW, have you flown recently?

 

One bag per passenger and many air lines are clamping down on overside carry ons. If you have multi-hops you might find a problem occurring at an intermediate airport.

[luvtocook]

Not sure what a rolling garment bag is

 

If using a single cabin-size case do watch the single case weight limit of 32kg or 70lb. Anything over that size and it will not be accepted by airlines.

 

PN, your description is pretty close except the one's we have and see most here are hard sided and lay out full then fold in half & zip. The have wheels on the botton and a pull out handle on top for easy rolling. We just packed ours over the weekend for our upcoming TA. Tux, 3 vests, 2 tux shirts, tux shoes, 3 long gowns, 3 semi formal dress outfits, 3 sport coats, 4 slacks & 2 more pair dress shoes for DH. Several misc items in the corners & 4 sweatshirts in the front pockets--48 pounds!!! (the case itself is about 10# too!)

You mention 70#--most of the airlines have changed their weight restrictions "here" to 50#, even if you continue on International flights!!! We're flying United via ORD to NYC then Maxjet to London, even though we can have 70# on MJ, United will only allow 50# on all their legs.:rolleyes: Whaddya gonna do???!!!:D

[Karynanne]

PN, your description is pretty close except the one's we have and see most here are hard sided and lay out full then fold in half & zip. The have wheels on the botton and a pull out handle on top for easy rolling. We just packed ours over the weekend for our upcoming TA. Tux, 3 vests, 2 tux shirts, tux shoes, 3 long gowns, 3 semi formal dress outfits, 3 sport coats, 4 slacks & 2 more pair dress shoes for DH. Several misc items in the corners & 4 sweatshirts in the front pockets--48 pounds!!! (the case itself is about 10# too!)

You mention 70#--most of the airlines have changed their weight restrictions "here" to 50#, even if you continue on International flights!!! We're flying United via ORD to NYC then Maxjet to London, even though we can have 70# on MJ, United will only allow 50# on all their legs.:rolleyes: Whaddya gonna do???!!!:D

 

Our rolling garment bags are the same type.

 

Domestic US airlines do allow 2 bags at 50# each...but if you're over that weight, you will get charged. Usually $25. This had happened to us quite a few times. Hopefully with the new lite-weight luggage, we'll avoid this.

 

Karyn

[l.i.lady]

Another option, if you do not oppose, is to rent tux via cruise line--tux and accessories will be waiting in your room upon arrival.

[luvtocook]

Another option, if you do not oppose, is to rent tux via cruise line--tux and accessories will be waiting in your room upon arrival.

 

DH DID do that the first cruise but then decided to buy his own so it was a better fit! I must say, the rentals are VERY nice!:D

[bigwally]

One bag per passenger and many air lines are clamping down on overside carry ons. If you have multi-hops you might find a problem occurring at an intermediate airport.

 

This is quite literaly just a suit cover. Think a dry cleaning bag but in vinyl rather than plastic. It and the contents will easily fold up to fit inside my regular rollaboard if it becomes necessary at LHR transfer security. Otherwise very little chance of problems with the size, weight, or quantity of carry-ons because we fly business class.

[peanutter]

PN, your description is pretty close except the one's we have and see most here are hard sided and lay out full then fold in half & zip. The have wheels on the botton and a pull out handle on top for easy rolling. We just packed ours over the weekend for our upcoming TA. Tux, 3 vests, 2 tux shirts, tux shoes, 3 long gowns, 3 semi formal dress outfits, 3 sport coats, 4 slacks & 2 more pair dress shoes for DH. Several misc items in the corners & 4 sweatshirts in the front pockets--48 pounds!!! (the case itself is about 10# too!)

 

I am impressed with how much you got into one bag - will you please come pack for me?!:D We will have to see about getting one of these bags.

 

As a side note, we have also used tissue paper folded in between clothes to prevent wrinkles. In particular, I did this with one of my "fragile" ball gowns and it came through the flight like a champ.

[Pontius Navigator]

You mention 70#--most of the airlines have changed their weight restrictions "here" to 50#, even if you continue on International flights!!! We're flying United via ORD to NYC then Maxjet to London, even though we can have 70# on MJ, United will only allow 50# on all their legs.:rolleyes: Whaddya gonna do???!!!:D

 

Just to clarify in case there is confusion.

 

While the individual weight limit is 20-25 kg or 50lbs I was refering to the individual case limit.

 

On one trip we used one Cabin Sized case for the two of us. While our total weight allowance was 25kg each - total 50kg, our total weight was a shade under the 32kg/70lbs and well under the total permitted weight.

 

Had we packed 40kg or more I have no idea what we would have done. Had to buy a second grip PDQ I guess.

[luvtocook]

I am impressed with how much you got into one bag - will you please come pack for me?!:D We will have to see about getting one of these bags.

 

As a side note, we have also used tissue paper folded in between clothes to prevent wrinkles. In particular, I did this with one of my "fragile" ball gowns and it came through the flight like a champ.

 

Everything is in dry cleaner bags & on hangars, but we DID squeeze it in. The bag is an LL Bean (I think Hunter Collection??) rolling garment bag. Like I said it is rather heavy, hardsided, but really works for these cruises!

[SailAway78]

http://www.llbean.com/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/CategoryDisplay?page=sportsmans-rolling-garment-bag&categoryId=39072&storeId=1&catalogId=1&langId=-1&parentCategory=4519&cat4=2912&shop_method=pp&feat=4519-tn

[Bellingham Belle]

We have been on several 31 day cruises and when one of DH 3 tux shirts needed to be replaced I decided it would be cheaper to have shirts laundered on the ship. Now we take just one tux shirt and have it done on the ship after each wearing . It comes back beautifully done up, is very inexpensive and saves on packing space.